Disaster-resistant structure and method for securing disaster-resistant structures to a body of cast material

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a novel, disaster-resistant structure (such as a building, room, closet, enclosure, or wall) and a method for constructing or assembling the structure securely to a body of cast material such as a foundation, grade beam base, platform, slab or floor that incorporates flexible cables to resist the very high loads or impact of debris and other hazards that may occur due to high winds, tornadoes, earthquakes, or other severe storms. The structure is secured to the body of cast material by at least one flexible cable. The flexible cable can be comprised of any member from a group of cables, wires, ropes, strings, or threads. The flexible cable can also be made from a wide range of materials including steel, other metals, nylon, manila, polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene, Kevlar, Nomex or polyimides. Typical construction methods for a body of cast material include building a form work or frame that defines the shape and dimensions of the body of cast material. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one hollow tube is placed into the area defined by the form work or frame for the body of cast material. The tube is placed in a generally horizontal position, but the ends may be curved or turned upward. When the cast material is placed into the form work or frame and hardens, the tube is at least partially embedded. In the best mode, the tube is bent or curved so that the ends are not within the formwork or frame and are protruding from the body of cast material after it hardens. However the hollow tube could be straight, curved, or angled. The tube may also be woven between the conventional steel reinforcing of the body of cast material. In the preferred embodiment, the flexible cable is passed through the hollow tube so that it can be looped over the ceiling or portion of the ceiling after the structure is framed. Conventional construction methods for framing include the use of wood, metal or masonry. In the preferred embodiment, the flexible cable is looped around the structure in a substantially vertical plane, passed through the tube, traveling inside the walls and ceiling. The ends of the flexible cable are connected. They could be connected to the structure&#39;s framing or the body of cast material, but in the preferred embodiment, the ends are connected to each other. This can be accomplished by using a clamp, or clamps, sleeves, clips, crimps, turnbuckles, hooks, ball and strap fittings, strap forks, ball and shanks, threaded fittings, strap eyes, eyelet fittings, eye bolts, plugs, threaded plugs, ball end plugs, ties, welds or any other means for connecting cable ends. The flexible cables provide the strength to secure the structure to the body of cast material. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the walls are also secured together by at least one other flexible cable that is looped around the room in a substantially horizontal plane and secured to the structure&#39;s framing. The ends of the horizontally looped flexible cable are secured to the structure&#39;s framing such as the door framing with a connector, hook, or other means of securing the end of a cable to a framing member. The at least one horizontally looped flexible cable is located within the walls. The vertically looped and horizontally looped flexible cables form a network of cables around the structure, located within the walls of the structure. In the preferred embodiment, the network of flexible cables may be encased in a cast material placed into the wall cavities and above the ceiling panel.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a novel, disaster-resistant structure and a method for assembling or constructing the structure, that incorporates flexible cable to secure and reinforce a structure or a structural member, such as a building, a room, closet, enclosure, wall or a roof to a body of cast material such as a foundation, grade beam, base, platform, floor, or slab, to resist the very high loads, upward loads, or impact of debris and other hazards that may occur due to high winds, tornadoes, earthquakes, or other severe storms.

BACKGROUND OF SECURING METHODS FOR BODIES OF CAST MATERIAL

The most common method to secure two bodies of cast material such as concrete constructed at different times is to prepare for the attachment of the second body of cast material by placing rods such as steel rebar partially within the first body of cast material, so that the rods are partially protruding from the first body of cast material. The protruding rods are then encapsulated in the second body of cast material, when it is formed thus securing the two bodies to each other. If other objects are to be secured to a body of cast material the process is often accomplished by embedding a steel rod with the threaded end protruding in order to receive the object to be secured. If the body of cast material is already installed and in a solid state with no rods or bolts protruding to receive a second cast body or object, then typically holes are drilled in the body of cast material and rods or bolts are installed.

BACKGROUND OF REINFORCING METHODS

The most common method of reinforcing concrete is to install stiff rods, such as steel rebar or in some cases a welded network of stiff wire inside removable concrete forms or inside the voids of concrete blocks. The rods or wire are added to give the brittle concrete the tensile strength that is required to withstand all loads that are not strictly compressive. The cutting, bending and tying of rods or wire is costly and labor-intensive. The process of building removable forms for the concrete, or the installation of concrete block walls is also costly and labor-intensive. The cost of materials and labor to install this type of reinforcing often makes construction more expensive and impractical. This is certainly the case when it comes to the construction of certain building features such as safe rooms. The present invention is a novel and innovative way to eliminate the need for temporary forms, concrete blocks and the labor-intensive installation of costly rods or stiff wire reinforcing, thus greatly reducing the cost of constructing building features such as safe rooms.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The state-of-the-art disaster-resistant structure is a structure that is constructed entirely underground. There is however a growing desire to improve the disaster resistance of buildings used as homes and businesses or to fortify and strengthen a room or an enclosure such as a safe room or strong room within such a building. A determining factor in the resistance of a structure to rare and very high externally-imposed side loads and upward loads is the effectiveness of the connection of the roof to the building and the connection of the building to the ground or the connection of the enclosure within the building to the ground. In most cases a heavy concrete foundation is already in place and is used for the normal function of the building. Generally such a foundation is designed to provide a stable and flat surface to resist the downward loads such as the weight of the building and all the contents of the building. Embedded J-bolts that are typically used to connect the wood frame walls to the concrete foundation provide reasonable resistance to ordinary lateral forces and some resistance to upward forces. However, in resisting any significant upward loads, these bolts are limited by the strength of the wood that they are bolted through. Disaster loading often includes upward forces and impact forces that exceed by a very large margin the capacity of standard wall anchoring. A system is needed that is able to secure an enclosed structure to the foundation with structural components that are not only strong enough to resist the disaster forces, but that are at the same time able to better distribute these forces into the foundation and across the structural components of the structure so that localized structural failure is substantially reduced. The recommended method detailed in FEMA P320 for anchoring a disaster-resistant structure is to install steel rebar that protrudes from the foundation with the proper size, length, and spacing suitable for the secondary pouring of walls to encapsulate the exposed steel rebar. This anchoring method is based on conventional loads, not impact loads. If any damage occurs such as cracking, the anchor quickly loses integrity. The flexible cable loops used in the present invention provide a superior function over conventional methods by holding the enclosed structure down even if a portion of a wall is damaged by severe impact damage.

The impact of storm debris or even projectiles from firearms can readily penetrate the most common walls in residential buildings. The addition of a layer of concrete in the wall of the enclosed structure is a cost-effective way to add resistance to objects or debris that hit the walls at high speeds. If the walls are pounded by debris there is the chance that some cracking and local structural damage may occur. In the present invention a network of continuously looped flexible cables is more resistant to catastrophic failure than the conventional method of using steel rebar anchoring that is overlapped but not continuous.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The novel features of the embodiments of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. However, the embodiments themselves, as well as a preferred embodiment, and further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an oblique, three-dimensional drawing of a safe room as it might appear in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially cut-away view of FIG. 1, depicting most of the components of the present invention's securing system, reinforcing network, and assembly process.

FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional view of a foundational section, showing how the tubes are partially imbedded (and may be woven in and out of the conventional reinforcement) to provide paths for the flexible cables.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional elevation view (taken along the line indicated in the plan view of FIG. 5), showing a flexible cable through the tube in the foundation and passed (in a vertical plane) all the way around through the framework of the room.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional plan view (taken along the line indicated in the elevation view of FIG. 4), showing a flexible cable installed horizontally around the room from one side of the door opening to the other side of the door opening.

FIG. 6 is an elevation view of the safe room showing flexible cable members passed through holes cut in a pre-existing foundation (as an alternative to tubes embedded in a new foundation).

While the construction method and assembly process can accommodate various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of an example of a safe room in the drawings and are herein described in detail. The invention as set forth in the provided claims is not limited by the embodiments presented, and may be embodied in various other forms and applications and remain within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.#

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION/PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention applies to any structure (such as a building, room, closet, enclosure, or wall) for the purpose of making it disaster-resistant. One preferred embodiment is a structure (1) such as a safe room or strong room within a residential or business building. FIG. 1 illustrates such a safe room (1). FIG. 2 provides a partially cut-away view of the structure (1) to show components of the structure (1) including: a foundational body of cast material (2), embedded tubes (3), flexible cables (4), bottom plate (5), door rod connector (6), c-channel metal wall stud (7), wall corner form (8), corner rod connector (9), vertical support rod (10), upper top plate (11), lower top plate (12), cable clamp/connector (13), eye bolt (14), inner wall panel (15), outer wall panel (16), ceiling panel (17), and concrete fill (18). This preferred embodiment of a safe room may be envisioned as follows:

-   -   Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a conventional concrete slab         foundation (2) is installed with the added feature of at least         partially embedding tubing (3) within the foundation prior to or         during installation of the foundation (2);     -   Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, conventional framing is         installed, including conventional members such as bottom plates         (5), wall studs (7), and top plates (11, 12);     -   Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 4, and FIG. 5, special components are         added within the framework for the safe room, including wall         corner forms (8), vertical support rods (10) at each corner and         on either side of the door opening, and eyebolts extending         downward from the top plates (11, 12). The corner vertical         support rods (10) are secured in place within the wall corner         forms (8) by corner rod connectors (9), and the vertical support         rods on either side of the door opening are secured to studs (7)         by door rod connectors (6);     -   Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, flexible cable (4) is passed         through the embedded tube (3) in the foundation (2) and looped         in a substantially vertical plane within the framework of the         safe room structure (1) by passing the two ends of the flexible         cable up between the studs of two opposite walls, through         eyebolts at the tops of the walls, and across the ceiling to         meet one another, and connecting these two ends of the flexible         cable (4) to one another with a cable connector (13);     -   Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 5, flexible cable (4) is looped in         a substantially horizontal plane within the walls around the         structure (1) by securing one end of the cable (4) with a cable         connector (13) to the vertical support rod (10) on one side of         the door opening, passing the cable through holes in the studs         (7) and around vertical support rods at the corners (10) within         the hollow wall corner forms (8), and securing the other end of         the flexible cable (4) with a cable connector (13) to the         vertical support rod (10) on the other side of the door opening;     -   Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, the wall and ceiling framing is         completed by installing a ceiling panel (17), inner wall panels         (15), and outer wall panels (16), and concrete fill is added to         encase the network of vertical and horizontal cable loops within         the walls and ceiling. The weight of the concrete on the ceiling         panel is supported on the underside by temporary vertical         supports at the time the concrete is added to the walls and the         ceiling.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a primary distinctive feature of this design is the use of flexible cable (4) rather than conventional rods or rigid steel rebar to secure the structure to the concrete slab foundation (2). The securing function is achieved in new construction by creating a loop path around the structure (1) that includes partially imbedding tubes (3) in the concrete slab foundation (2) and passing flexible cables (4) through the tubes (3) and around, or integrating them in, the walls and ceiling of the structure (1) (see FIG. 4) to secure the walls of the structure (1) to the concrete slab foundation (2). The tubes (3) may be formed to take an indirect lateral path that adds substantially more “pull-out” strength with substantially less concrete added or in some cases no additional concrete added to the foundation (2) to achieve the same or better resistance to upward forces. Referring to FIG. 2, one advantage of the present invention is that the concrete fill (18) encasing the flexible cables (4) in the wall cavities (19) may be thinner and lighter than conventional stand-alone concrete walls or walls incorporating concrete blocks, and in most cases the concrete-filled walls will not exceed the weight-loading capacity of the standard slab thickness. Most of the advantages of the present invention can also be gained in a retrofitted version of the design. In the retrofit case of securing a structure (1) in an existing building, the installation of the flexible cable (4) has to be accomplished without the benefit of the tubes (3) already being in place in the body of cast material such as a concrete slab foundation (2). Referring to FIG. 6, the connection to the concrete slab foundation (2) can still be made by looping the flexible cable (4) into and out of holes (20) cut in the existing concrete slab foundation (2) for this purpose. In most cases the holes (20) can be located so the flexible cable (4) includes a section of the concrete slab foundation (2) that contains some steel reinforcement. Even without the benefit of the flexible cable being passed through the foundation by means of tubes (3) or holes (20), many of the advantages of the present invention may still be gained by vertically looping the flexible cable (4) through and over the framing of the structure, such that the two ends of the cable (4) may be secured, anchored, attached, or otherwise connected to the body of cast material (2) by the use of eye bolts or any other means of connection. In any of these embodiments or adaptations of the present invention, the use of flexible cables (4) in place of conventional rods or rigid steel rebar as a securing system has the additional advantage of better distributing the securing forces across the entire structure because the flexible cables (4) can be looped from the body of cast material (2) over the top of the structure (1).

Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, another primary distinctive feature of this design is the effective substitution of flexible cables (4) for conventional rods or rigid steel rebar to reinforce the walls of the structure (1). The use of flexible cables (4) also has the advantage that these flexible cables (4) may be installed into a network of loops that act to keep the structure (1) substantially intact even if cracking of the structural members of the structure (1) or distortion of the shape of the structure (1) has occurred. In the preferred embodiment, a typical safe room would probably have two or more vertically looped flexible cables (4) along the longer side of the room and two or more vertically looped flexible cables (4) along the shorter side the room. These vertically looped flexible cables (4) connect the concrete slab foundation (2) to the walls and ceiling of the structure (1) in a continuous fashion (see FIG. 4). Additional loops of flexible cables (4) may be installed horizontally inside the walls of the structure (1), and spaced at different elevations (see FIG. 5). This network of flexible cables (4) is especially helpful in resisting catastrophic failures due to local damage to the structure (1). No current design maintains the structure's (1) integrity to this degree if damage or distortion of the structure (1) occurs.

In addition to a superior securing system and a strong reinforcement of the structure (1), the present invention allows for the integration of the structure (1) into conventional building framing in such a way that the structure (1) can be completely functional as a closet, laundry room, bath room or any type of room with modest pre-planning requirements. The walls of the structure (1) may be of standard construction, thickness and dimensions utilizing standard, dimensional materials including wood and metal framing members. Conventional sheathing or wood sheathing allows for mounting or attaching items to the wall with ordinary fasteners, which is not practical with current methods of safe room construction using concrete blocks for wall framing. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A structure (such as a building, room, closet or enclosure) secured to a body of cast material (such as a concrete foundation, slab or base), which comprises: (a) at least one wall; (b) at least one ceiling or roof; (c) at least one securable door to the inside of the structure; and (d) at least one flexible cable having two ends, wherein the at least one flexible cable is looped about the structure in a substantially vertical plane at least partially within the at least one wall, wherein the at least one flexible cable is comprised of any member from a group of cables, wires, ropes, strings, or threads and further comprising steel, other metals, nylon, manila, polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene, Kevlar, Nomex or polyimides and the two ends are connected to each other or to the structure's framing or to the body of cast material.
 2. The structure of claim 1, further comprising at least one tube, at least partially embedded in the body of cast material and comprised of any member from a group of plastics, metals, cloth, PEX or composite.
 3. The structure of claim 1, further comprising at least one other flexible cable having two ends looped about the structure in a substantially horizontal plane at least partially within the at least one wall, wherein the at least one other flexible cable is comprised of any member from a group of cables, wires, ropes, strings, or threads, the at least one other flexible cable further comprising steel, other metals, nylon, manila, polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene, Kevlar, Nomex or polyimides and the two ends are connected to each other or to the structure's framework.
 4. The structure of claim 1, further comprising at least one connector comprised of clamps, sleeves, clips, turnbuckles, hooks, ball and strap fittings, strap forks, ball and shanks, threaded fittings, strap eyes, eyelet fittings, plugs, threaded plugs, ball end plugs, or ties.
 5. The structure of claim 1, which further comprises at least one wall corner form comprised of metal, wood, or cardboard within the at least one wall.
 6. The structure of claim 1, which further comprises panels comprised of metal, wood, plastic, sheetrock or composite affixed to the at least one wall.
 7. The structure of claim 1, which further comprises cast material within the at least one wall and on top of the at least one ceiling or roof.
 8. A structure (such as a building, room, closet or enclosure) secured to a body of cast material (such as a concrete foundation, slab or base), which comprises: (a) at least one wall; (b) at least one ceiling or roof; (c) at least one securable door to the inside of the structure; (d) at least one tube, at least partially embedded in the body of cast material and comprised of any member from a group of plastics, metals, cloth, PEX or composite; (e) at least one flexible cable having two ends looped about the structure in a substantially vertical plane at least partially within the at least one wall and at least partially enclosed in the at least one tube, wherein the at least one flexible cable is comprised of any member from a group of cables, wires, ropes, strings, or threads and further comprising steel, nylon, manila, polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene, Kevlar, Nomex or polyimides, and the two ends are connected to each other or to the structure's framework or to the body of cast material; (f) at least one other flexible cable having two ends looped about the structure in a substantially horizontal plane at least partially within the at least one wall, wherein the at least one other flexible cable is comprised of any member from a group of cables, wires, ropes, strings, or threads, the at least one other flexible cable further comprising steel, other metals, nylon, manila, polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene, Kevlar, Nomex or polyimides and the two ends are connected to each other or to the structure's framework; and (g) at least one connector comprised of clamps, sleeves, clips, crimps, turnbuckles, hooks, ball and strap fittings, strap forks, ball and shanks, threaded fittings, strap eyes, eyelet fittings, plugs, threaded plugs, ball end plugs, or ties.
 9. The structure of claim 8, which further comprises at least one wall corner form comprised of metal, wood, or cardboard within the at least one wall.
 10. The structure of claim 8, which further comprises panels comprised of metal, wood, plastic, sheetrock or composite affixed to the at least one wall.
 11. The structure of claim 8, which further comprises cast material within the at least one wall and on top of the at least one ceiling or roof.
 12. A method for securing a structure (such as a building, room, closet, or enclosure) having at least one wall, at least one ceiling or roof and at least one securable door to the inside of the structure to a body of cast material (such as a concrete foundation, slab or base), which comprises: (a) placing at least one flexible cable within the body of cast material so that the at least one flexible cable is at least partially embedded in the body of cast material; (b) installing the body of cast material and a framework for the structure; (c) looping the at least one flexible cable in a substantially vertical plane at least partially inside one wall of the structure, over the ceiling of the structure and at least partially inside another wall of the structure; and (d) connecting the two ends of the at least one flexible cable to each other or to the framework for the structure or to the body of cast material.
 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising placing at least one tube within the body of cast material so that the at least one tube is at least partially embedded in the body of cast material and passing at least one flexible cable having two ends through the at least one tube.
 14. The method of claim 12, further comprising looping at least one other flexible cable having two ends around the structure in a substantially horizontal plane at least partially inside at least one wall of the structure; and connecting the two ends of the at least one other flexible cable to each other or to the framework for the structure.
 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the connecting step comprises the use of clamps, sleeves, clips, turnbuckles, hooks, ball and strap fittings, strap forks, ball and shanks, threaded fittings, strap eyes, eyelet fittings, plugs, threaded plugs, ball end plugs, or ties.
 16. The method of claim 12, further comprising filling the at least one wall of the structure with a cast material such as concrete, cement or plaster and installing cast material on top of the at least one ceiling or roof such as concrete, cement or plaster.
 17. A method for securing a structure (such as a building, room, closet, or enclosure) having at least one wall, at least one ceiling or roof and at least one securable door to the inside of the structure to a body of cast material (such as a concrete foundation, slab or base), which comprises: (a) placing at least one tube within the body of cast material so that the at least one tube is at least partially embedded in the body of cast material; (b) installing the body of cast material and a framework for the structure; (c) passing at least one flexible cable having two ends through the at least one tube; (d) looping the at least one flexible cable in a substantially vertical plane at least partially inside one wall of the structure, over the ceiling of the structure and at least partially inside another wall of the structure; (e) connecting the two ends of the at least one flexible cable to each other or to the framework for the structure or to the cast body of material; (f) looping at least one other flexible cable having two ends around the structure in a substantially horizontal plane at least partially inside at least one wall of the structure; and (g) connecting the two ends of the at least one other flexible cable in a substantially horizontal plane to each other or to the framework for the structure.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the passing step occurs prior to the installing of the body of cast material.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the connecting steps comprise the use of clamps, sleeves, clips, crimps, turnbuckles, hooks, ball and strap fittings, strap forks, ball and shanks, threaded fittings, strap eyes, eyelet fittings, plugs, threaded plugs, ball end plugs, or ties.
 20. The method of claim 17, further comprising installing at least one wall corner form.
 21. The method of claim 17, which further comprises affixing inner and outer wall panels to the at least one wall, and a ceiling panel to the at least one ceiling, wherein all panels are comprised of metal, wood, plastic, sheetrock or composite.
 22. The method of claim 17, further comprising filling the at least one wall of the structure with a cast material such as concrete, cement or plaster and installing cast material on top of the at least one ceiling or roof such as concrete, cement or plaster. 